A Comparative Study of Presentational Formats

Abstract

As early as 1970, Ivan Illich predicted that in the future, there would be a move towards ‘deschooling society’. At the outset of the new millennium, explosion in the production of information ignited a need for the shift from the significance of having ‘what’ to ‘what to do’ with the information. Indeed, developments in communication technologies not only facilitated and expedited reaching information but also enabled and ensured learning outside the schools - lifelong learning. After schooling, adults learn most of what they know from the media. The present paper challenges the adaptation of technology by media for raising awareness and learning the current issues and suggests that technology, indeed, should be used in media and education, however, after being challenged. This study challenges the use of technology for receiving information. It presents the results of bicommunal research conducted in Cyprus upon the already existing and suggested presentational formats. The present study sets out to explore attitude of the tertiary students towards already existing and alternative media sources used for receiving the news. It is suggested that rather than adopting ‘what is given’ by the technology, if media education challenges and suggests new forms for presentation of the information, this will facilitate learning, particularly learning from the media, which is the main source of information for masses after formal schooling.